Technological innovation has not shown any signs of slowing, and the coming years are sure to bring exciting IT developments to every organization and industry. Consumers and businesses alike will benefit, and you’ll want to position your business to be at the forefront of these changes in order to remain competitive.

No matter how you take advantage of innovation, one thing you’ll need to keep in mind as these future developments come to fruition is how to deliver security and protect your customers. These future trends will challenge every organization’s security measures.

To benefit from innovation, consumers will be asked to divulge more information

Virtual reality (VR) was thought to revolutionize the digital world, but now, you’re more likely to connect with a consumer using augmented reality (AR). Real-life interaction in real time is what consumers crave. Collaborative apps like Pokémon GO are only the beginning.

Consider how innovation has allowed a retailer like IKEA to develop an augmented reality app that lets consumers digitally place furniture in their homes, to decide exactly what piece works best. New dental students learn how to treat patients using AR. And while consumers benefit from this type of hands-on approach, voice commands are also proliferating, extending the utility of web browsing. Dialogue-based solutions, such as Amazon Echo, are granting consumers access to a multitude of information at any time.

Consumer health is going to be even more digital in the future, as well. From toothbrushes with Bluetooth technology that improve brushing habits to dental implants that stimulate the tooth regrowth, the dental industry is experiencing first-hand the impact of tech innovation. Fitbits (and other fitness trackers) and completely digital medical and dental files are becoming the standard. A doctor or dentist is more likely to pull up a patient file on a tablet from information stored in the cloud than from a paper patient file.

As we rely on these technologies to deliver better patient and consumer experiences, it becomes essential to have the most robust security possible, especially for industries like medical and dental facilities that are obligated under regulatory requirements to protect patient data. One breach can lose the faith of your patients forever and make it difficult to recover; one breach can literally cost your practice.

The critical aspect of any innovations such as these is that consumers are being asked to provide a lot more information to use them – and that means security becomes the most important factor in the development of any advancement.

Innovation comes at a price

Organizations are finding that apps do not always have the most lucrative return on investment. By 2019, it’s estimated that for every dollar enterprises invest in innovation, an additional $7 will be required for execution. If apps aren’t proving to be good for business, organizations will turn elsewhere to spend their dollars. This will create two issues: one, abandoned apps become security risks for users, and those users – your employees – are going to connect their devices with outdated, unsupported apps to your network. At the same time, as organizations try to jump on the IoT bandwagon, protecting data communicated to and from every device will be essential.

As technology fundamentally changes how we do business, serve customers, and meet regulatory compliance standards, business leaders must reevaluate whether their current IT strategies are meeting their needs. Do you understand your organization’s IT needs? Are you concerned about security and want to gain a more in-depth understanding of how secure your data and email are? The ITeam is committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive IT strategies that keep them competitive. Contact us to learn more.